1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latch bolt assembly for use with a rectangular or circular door latch cavity.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,131 issued to Galindo et al. on May 3, 1994 discloses a door latch consisting of a bolt mounted in a sharp-cornered rectangular mortise, a round-cornered rectangular mortise, or a round bored cavity defined in a door edge by means of using a faceplate and a backplate that are both interchangeable. The bolt includes two tabs protruding radially from its housing for engaging with the backplate before the bolt is engaged with the faceplate. Nevertheless, the overall thickness is increased such that the mortise or cavity in the door edge must be also increased. This causes limitation to application of the bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,472 issued to Small on Jun. 23, 1998 discloses a drive-in housing for mounting a latch assembly in a bore formed in a door. The drive-in housing includes two identical housing parts each having a projection and a groove so as to engage with each other. When the housing parts are brought together they form an opening for receiving a bolt casing of the latch assembly. Tabs on the casing are captured in slots of the housing parts as the housing parts are moved normal to the axis of the casing. Movement of the casing relative to the housing parts is then limited by direct engagement of the housing parts with the tabs. The housing parts, when brought together, form a faceplate having an opening therein for accommodating a bolt. Such a drive-in housing is limited to be used with doors of the type having a round cavity. Namely, such a drive-in housing cannot be used with doors of the type having a rectangular mortise or cavity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch bolt assembly for use with a door having either a rectangular or circular cavity by means of using a faceplate or positioning sleeve.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a latch bolt assembly wherein the latch bolt device can be rotated to a proper position even after the latch bolt device has been mounted in a circular door cavity.
A latch bolt assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a latch bolt device, a faceplate, and a positioning sleeve. The latch bolt device comprises a cylindrical casing, a latch bolt, and an anti-theft pin, the latch bolt and the anti-theft pin being extendible out an end of the cylindrical casing or retracted into the cylindrical casing. The end of the cylindrical casing includes a flange on an outer periphery thereof and two protrusions on the outer periphery thereof adjacent to the flange. The cylindrical casing further includes a rib formed on the outer periphery thereof.
The faceplate comprises an opening so as to be mounted around the cylindrical casing of the latch bolt device and positioned between the flange and the protrusions. The positioning sleeve is mounted around the cylindrical casing of the latch bolt device and rotatably positioned between the protrusions and the rib. One of the faceplate and the positioning sleeve is selected to engage with the cylindrical casing of the latch bolt device.
Other objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferable embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.